


The Ghost in the Machine Job

by BookGirlFan



Category: Leverage
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 15:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8376610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookGirlFan/pseuds/BookGirlFan
Summary: That voice was in his head again.
    It showed up every time he was on a job, and many times he wasn't as well. Definitely a man's voice, but not his own. Younger than him, and not military trained; that was a very distinctive vocal pattern that the voice just didn't have. More than that, he was a chatterbox, always commenting on something, which any soldier would know better than to do.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lady_ragnell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_ragnell/gifts), [hrhleia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hrhleia/gifts).



> For the wonderful lady_ragnell and hrhleia, who got me into Leverage, I dedicate my first Leverage story. Written on a half hour train trip, so not edited. Hopefully it doesn't suffer too much for it!

That voice was in his head again.

It showed up every time he was on a job, and many times he wasn't as well. Definitely a man's voice, but not his own. Younger than him, and not military trained; that was a very distinctive vocal pattern that the voice just didn't have. More than that, he was a chatterbox, always commenting on something, which any soldier would know better than to do.

Most irritatingly, even more than the way the voice mocked his technology skills, or the way it seemed to know things it shouldn't (it was a _voice_ in his _head_! It shouldn't be knowing anything he didn't!) was the way it seemed only he could hear it. He'd asked Nate and Sophie back in the beginning, and they'd looked at him like he was crazy. Who even knew with Parker.

This time, though, the voice was getting more and more urgent, shouting at him even louder than the comm in his ear Parker had stolen months ago. "You gotta go, man, you gotta go! This isn't just some corporate espionage anymore, this woman's been covering up something way more hinky! Get out of here!"

"Alright, alright!" Eliot growled, walking towards the lifts at a steady but unremarkable pace. The longer he could keep from blowing his cover, the better, especially with only the word of a voice in his head to go on.

"You ain't listening to me! This is dangerous, like murder dangerous, like death doom and destruction dangerous! Like million dollar paid murder dangerous! You need to get out, now!"

"Just shut up!" Eliot whispered furiously. "I'm goin'!"

" _Eliot_?" Nate asked in his ear. For a passing second, Eliot thought he had another voice in his head and despaired. The current one was bad enough, but Nate would be a nightmare. " _Who are you talking to? Your job's not finished, you shouldn't be going anywhere._ "

"We missed something. This is bigger than we thought." He increased his speed.

" _You can't leave. Sophie's still upstairs, she needs more time._ "

Eliot switched channels on the comm. "Sophie, get out. Now!" He pressed the elevator button, waiting impatiently for it to arrive.

" _That might be a bit difficult,_ " Sophie's voice came over the comm. " _It seems security here aren't very fond of reporters._ "

The doors swished open.

Four security men were waiting inside, guns held loosely in their arms. "You're coming with us."

Eliot flicked his hair back away from his face. This was going to get messy.

***

"Eliot, where did you get that information?" Nate asked, interrupting the argument he was having with Sophie about it being completely appropriate to jump through a glass window when you are being chased by security.

"What information?" Maybe playing dumb would work. It had in the past.

"You know what information." He'd forgotten they all knew him too well to believe him when he played dumb anymore.

"From a voice that talks to me sometimes." Eliot didn't look at anyone, just watched Parker's shoes, swinging back and forth against the counter. "A voice in my head."

"Another comm?" Sophie asked, her voice a mix of emotions he wasn't even going to try to identity. 

"No. It's in my head, actually in there! Not just through my ear." He could feel their eyes on him.

"Oh yeah," Parker said, munching on some cereal. "That's Hardison."


End file.
